Job Discussion Forums

efm270 · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 6

I'm considering a job with the Canadian Foundation Centre for International Education. Their schools are called Sino-Canadian International Colleges (SCIC), so you may know them by that name too. Has anyone here worked for them? They sound wonderful, but you can't be too careful. Info appreciated.

NateM · Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Posts: 358

Try contacting some of the people who posted here:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=17545&highlight=cfcie

bwyta · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Toronto, Canada

efm270,

I am going to teach for CFCIE at the SCIC this coming August. So far everything seems on the up and up, although there is a $500 deposit that I didn't know about when I signed the contract. They gave me the e-mail addresses of some previous teachers, all of whom had a good experience there. If anything important changes I'll certainly post about it here. All the best,

Bwyta

efm270 · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 6

bwyta,

I did email the list of teachers they gave me and the responses were all glowing, but the list only had three people on it. I signed a contract with them for August, too, but they just told me about the $500 airfare deposit today. I feel wary about giving any place money to hire me....

Are you going to be teaching in Nanning? If so, I guess I might see you at the orientation in Beijing. Just hope it all goes well.

bwyta · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Toronto, Canada

Yes, I will be teaching in Nanning. I hear ya about the deposit; it is a little sketchy. Hopefully I'll see you in August,

bwyta

Giantbudwiser · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 4:39 am Post subject:

Except for a house deposit I don't think you should ever give any other money to a school to hang on to it sounds fishy

KES · Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 722

What is the purpose of the "airfare deposit"?

Are they paying, in part or in full, for your airfare?

bwyta · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Toronto, Canada

The purpose of the deposit is to make it more likely that the teacher will actually go and complete his contract. Without the deposit, the company has no real leverage. The company will pay for return airfare, but only if the teacher completes the contract.

I don't have much more time to decide about this. Seeing as I already have a ticket to Beijing for August, and I have all my medical tests done, this fee is a huge pain in the but.

efm270 · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 6

See, they told me that they sometimes have English teachers back out at the last minute, so they want the deposit as assurance that you'll show up. They give you the option of either buying a ticket to china from them and not having to pay a deposit, or buying your own ticket and paying a deposit. I would normally assume this is a scam, but because it's a university teaching position and the pictures of the apartments showed hardwood floors, I'm torn between letting my fantasies ruin my good judgement or turning them down.

(Hardwood! I don't live that well here!) Rolling Eyes